Folding crate.



MICHAEL RINNER, OF FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT.

FOLDING CRATE.

l Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

Application filed July 5, 1911. Serial No. 637,024.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL RINNEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at F airfield, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Folding Crates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to receptacles or crates of the folding or knockdown type for shipping poultry, fruit, vegetables, etc., and has for its objects to produce a crate of this character which will be of simple construction, which may be easily collapsed or folded, when empty, into a very compact form, which, when so folded, may be conveniently handled, and which, when in open or bextended condition, will have an unobstructed interior and will be sufficiently rigid and substantial to meet the requirements of such a device. These and other objects of the invention, together with means whereby the same may be carried into effect, will best be understood from the following description of one form or embodiment thereof illustrated in the. accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the open crate, the cover being removed. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1, with the cover in place. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the crate folded.

10 denotes the sides of the crate, which are in the form of frames having central recesses or openings 11 preferably covered by sheets of wire gauze or the like 12 fastened to the outer faces of said frames as by strips or slats 13 tacked or otherwise secured thereto. It will be obvious that slats, boarding, or any other closure may, if desired, take the place of the gauze 12 in accordance with the purpose to which the crate is to be put.

14 denotes the bottom of the crate, said bottom being in two parts connected respectively by means of hinges 15 with the two sides 10. The twoparts ormembers 14 of the bottom are of such a form and size and the hinges 15 are so located at the edges of openings 11 that said members may be swung upwardly on said hinges into said openings, substantially filling the same within the gauze or other covering 12. When the crate is open the bot-tom members 14 are turned downwardly and rest upon blocks or lugs 16 projecting inwardly from the end members 17, said bottom members being secured together by a suitable catch 18.

The end members 17, of which there are two at each end of the crate, are connected to the sides 10 by means of hinges 19 and to each other by means of hinges 20. Said end members are preferably formed as frames having central openings covered by gauze 21, secured by strips 22, or otherwise in the same manner as the sides 10. It

will be seen that when the crate is open them end members 17 are locked in operative position by engagement with the bottom members 14 which, in turn, are locked by the catch 18.

The cover of the crate is formed in two parts, namely, a relatively narrow part 23 connected by hinges 24 to one of the sides l0 and a relatively wide part 25 connected to the part 23 by hinges 26, said part 25 being provided with a hasp 27 coperating with a staple 28 at the upper edge of the other side 10, and which may, if desired, be provided with a padlock (not shown). 29 denotes a second staple at the lower edge of the side 10 with which the hasp 27 is engaged when the crate is folded.

30 denotes a handle secured to the part 23 of the cover and by which the crate can be conveniently carried, particularly when in folded condition.

To fold the crate, the hasp 27 is disengaged from the staple 28 and the cover raised into the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 2. The catch 18 is then released and the bottom members 14 folded upwardly, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 2, into the recesses or openings 11, thereby releasing the end members 17 which are folded inwardly, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1, and carry with them the sides 10. The part 25 of the cover is then folded down over the outer side 10 and the hasp 27 engaged with the staple 29 to which it may, if desired, be locked byapadlock. The crate may then be carried, in very compact form, by means of the handle 30.

The cover' portion 25 is preferably provided with a recess 31 to receive the staple 28 when the crate is folded, thereby permitt-ing said cover portion to lie flat against the outer side member 10.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A folding crate comprising sides having central openings, coverings for said openings secured to the out-er faces of said sides, inwardly folding ends each comprising ico two members hinged respectively to said sidesand to each other, a bottom comprising two independent members hinged respectively to said sides at the lower edges of said openings, said end members being adapted when swung upwardly to fold into said openings and when swung downwardly to engage said ends and prevent inward folding thereof, blocks carried by said end members for supporting said bottom members, a catch for detaohably securing said bottom members together, a cover comprising a part hinged to one of said sides and a second part hinged to said rst named part and adapted to fold downwardly over the other of said sides, means for securing said last named part of said cover to said last named side, and a handle secured to said rst named part of said cover, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL RINNER. Witnesses:

TYsPIozER GYRGY, CORNELIUS TOPPITZER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

